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Money from the federal stimulus effort made an impact in Douglas County. A reported $2 million-plus impact. The bulk of the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was used for highway improvement projects. The rest is going toward repairs to low-income public housing units. A new website, www.StimulusWatch.org , provides a way for taxpayers to see how the federal stimulus money is being spent locally.

Deer hunters in Douglas County had a tougher time of it this season - the total harvest was down about 8 percent from last year, according to preliminary numbers. A total of 1,677 deer were registered in the county compared to 1,814 in 2008, according to Kevin Kotts, a Department of Natural Resources area wildlife supervisor in Glenwood. (Kotts pointed out that it's highly unlikely that all those deer were actually killed in Douglas County; some were killed elsewhere and brought here and some that were killed here were likely registered elsewhere.

Alexandria joined Minnesota, the United States and more than 200 countries to commemorate World AIDS Day on Tuesday, December 1. A candlelight memorial service organized by the Rural AIDS Action Network (RAAN) took place at the First Congregational Church. A small group gathered to pray, sing, listen to Bible passages, remember loved ones afflicted with AIDS and learn more about this widely misunderstood disease that continues to claim lives. Pastor Scott Keehn, relaying information from RAAN, noted that roughly 33 million people in the world are living with HIV/AIDS.

A large chunk of land in south Alexandria is now set aside for walking trails, environmental learning, picnicking and other ways to enjoy the great outdoors. Forever. And it's all because of an unusual land donation. At its November 23 meeting, the Alexandria City Council approved a charitable pledge agreement with Gary and Cindy Zacher. At no cost to the city, the Zachers donated a 56-acre piece of property located in the 50th Avenue South Park Addition, west of the railroad tracks near the proposed site of a new high school.

The Alexandria City Council is moving ahead on a plan to build a police department facility separate from the sheriff's office. At its Monday meeting, the council unanimously approved a preliminary budget and space plans for the project. It voted to move ahead with the schematic design of the facility, which would be built on city land near the new county jail that's under construction on 3rd Avenue West. The steps are part of several milestones that need to be approved for the police project to proceed. The new figures call for a 24,000-square-foot building - 3,000 square feet less than t

Those who like to motor around in golf carts should be somewhat happy about the Alexandria City Council's 3-2 decision Monday to amend the city's ordinance allowing their use. It was only a preliminary action, however.

With the race for Minnesota governor off and running, a group of rural mayors and city leaders want to know one thing: Where do the candidates stand on local government aid (LGA)? If the state continues to cut LGA to deal with its budget woes, residents in small cities like Alexandria will pay the price through "skyrocketing" property taxes, predicted leaders from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, who met in Alexandria for their annual fall conference last week. "Our citizens are bearing the brunt of year after year of property tax increases and cuts to local police, fire, librarie

The Alexandria City Council made progress on two controversial issues at its meeting Monday night - a plan to build a police department facility separate from the sheriff's office and an ordinance to regulate golf carts. The council unanimously approved a preliminary budget and space plans for a new police department. It voted to move ahead with the schematic design of the facility, which would be built on city land near the new county jail that's under construction on 3rd Avenue West. The steps are part of several milestones that need to be approved for the police project to proceed. The

It was like getting socked in the gut, hard, three times. Only much worse. First, my mom suffered a massive stroke this past September 11. She had to be transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul and a few days later, she survived a breakthrough surgical procedure called a brain bypass. Arteries from her scalp were used to repair the stroke-damaged ones in her brain. Then, while my mom was slowly recovering, my 85-year-old dad's health faltered. We had to take him to the Douglas County Hospital and the prognosis wasn't good - late-stage leukemia.

Voters in Brandon approved two school referendum measures Tuesday. It was another story in the West Central Area Schools District where voters narrowly rejected a tax increase for additional funding. School leaders there say they'll regroup, trim expenses even further and likely pursue a referendum next year. Brandon voters approve two referendum questions In Brandon, voters approved Question 1 on the ballot by a two-to-one margin - 238 "yes" votes to 95 "no" votes. The measure authorizes the district to renew its existing referendum of $500 per pupil for six more years.